Harry goes Back to the Future!
by The Quill of Gryffindor
Summary: One of the first Harry Potter/Back to the Future crosses on ! If you don't believe me, then have a look yourself! I could only find one! Anyway, for a full summary, look inside...
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter goes...Back to the Future!**

Hello my readers! I have some amazing news!

Finally, after nearly a year of writing fan fiction, and searching fruitlessly online, I have finally began writing in a field only ever traversed by one other writer: I have started writing a Harry Potter/Back to the Future cross! I am a huge fan of Back to the Future, so this is a dream project for me!

Anyway, since this is a universe I have not yet delved in, I must get the usual disclaimers out of the way...*clears throat*

**I do NOT own Back to the Future in any way, shape or form. This story takes inspiration from not only the films, but also the video game, which is also cracking, I must say!** Oh yeah, and I don't own Harry Potter either. If I owned either of them, I would be deliriously happy!

I had a huge amount of fun writing this story! I hope you enjoy!

Anyway, without further ado: **Harry Potter goes...Back to the future!**

* * *

**Summary:**After the defeat of Voldemort, Harry Potter refused to be part of the Wizarding world any longer. Asking the public to be left alone, he retreats to Grimmauld Place. Just under a year later, he disappears, leaving all in shock as to his whereabouts. After three months of his absence, Hermione and Ron hope to find out just what happened. But after they find the plans for a machine in the dusty manor, they are taken on an adventure through time, itself!

* * *

**Chapter One: You built a time machine...out of a DeLorean?!**

Every morning, when she awoke, the first thing to greet her ears was the gentle sound of a ticking clock. Not just one time piece, but several, which adorned the furniture and walls around her bedroom.

She greatly enjoyed the quiet workings of the clocks, citing them as rather therapeutic, especially while she was working. They all ticked out of sync with the others, making the normally unnoticeable sound perceptible.

Despite her love of ticking clocks, however, the clock she chose to place on the dresser next to her bed didn't have any clock workings, so didn't tick. It was a flip display clock, with a radio built in. Placed right next to her head, the sound of the radio blaring each morning was her alarm call, as it was this day.

"_So take me away, I don't mind. But you better promise me, I'll be back in time!_" The radio continued to play the song 'Back in Time'.

With a loud moan, her hand rose feebly trying to swat the 'snooze' button on the top of the clock. After groping around for a moment, she growled slightly and lifted her head from the pillow. Getting a good view of the clock, she slammed her hand down with a thump, temporarily silencing the clock.

With a contented sigh, she dropped her head back down onto the pillow, closed her eyes and smiled slightly. However, her reprieve was short lived.

"Hermione? Are you up yet?" She groaned slightly hearing her mother's call.

"Yes Mum, my alarm…" she yawned "…just woke me." She pulled herself up from the uncomfortable position she'd settled in and stretched.

"Well, ok, but didn't you need to be up today?" She frowned in thought.

"Er, I don't know…did I?" She answered uncertainly. She heard her mother chuckle slightly.

"I think so; weren't you supposed to be meeting Ron at Harry's place early today?" Her mother replied through the door.

Hermione immediately sat bolt upright and stared accusingly at her clock, which read 10:40 am. She gasped and jumped out of bed, fighting with the covers.

"Holy crap, I'm late!" She moaned in annoyance.

Ignoring her mother's berating 'Language!' she ran into her shower room, frantically preparing herself as quickly as possible. She tore around her room in a frenzy, throwing on some clothes and dashing out of her bedroom.

Entering the kitchen, she saw her father reading a paper while eating his breakfast. He tipped the top of his newspaper to see who'd entered the room, before smiling at his daughter. As he watched her wolf down some breakfast with amused eyes, he laughed and shook his head.

"Well, good morning to you too." He greeted playfully. She looked up at him and rolled her eyes at his amusement.

"Good morning Dad." She replied before eating at a more sedate pace.

"You look like you're late for something." He commented. "What're you doing today?" He asked her.

"I was going to go over to Harry's place to…sort out his things." Her voice became noticeably quieter as she finished. His face became grim.

"Oh yes, of course." He noticed her start to pick at her food, sadly. "Hermione, don't give up hope. Just because he's gone right now, doesn't mean he won't come back." He offered.

"Thanks Dad." She replied, giving him a small smile.

Finishing her quick breakfast, she said goodbye to her parents and stepped into the back garden, closing the door behind her. After she had learned to Apparate, her parents had grown the hedges around the perimeter of their garden higher, so the neighbours wouldn't see anyone 'popping' in.

Closing her eyes and picturing her destination, Hermione turned on the spot and disappeared with a quiet 'pop'. Reappearing with a similar noise, she stood outside the former Black family mansion, the former headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, and the current home of one Harry James Potter: Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

At least, it had been his residence…until recently.

After the battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of Voldemort in 1998, people who had suffered from the brief, but brutal reign of the dark wizard began mourning and rebuilding. However, they needed a leader to get behind. No one seemed more suited to this task, from the public's point of view, than Harry Potter. However, he had other ideas.

Shortly after the damage to Hogwarts was repaired, Harry gave a public statement to show his position to the calls for him to be a leader. Mostly, he asked for privacy, but he also stated that he would have nothing more to do with the ministry, regardless of leadership. With that, the wizard retreated into Grimmauld Place, allowing only friends and family to visit him.

While the public was in a frenzy in regards to the whereabouts of the Boy Who Lived, he lived in relative solitude, working on restoring the house to a decent state. His efforts were noticeable, the once foreboding manor looking newer and much friendlier.

However, it was shortly after finishing the renovations that Harry began to isolate himself from everyone, not only the public. It wasn't out of spite, or anger, or even sadness. When they saw him, he was extremely happy, although perhaps more manic than he had been. He quickly reassured them that he was fine and not to worry.

Three months later, Harry Potter disappeared.

They searched the house, top to bottom. There was no note, no letter, and no indication of where he had gone. His belongings remained where they were, except for some minor things such as his invisibility cloak.

Eventually, despite their best efforts, the news that the Boy Who Lived was missing leaked out and rocked the wizarding world. Hundreds of rumours began circulating, that he gone undercover with the ministry, that had been kidnapped by the newest dark lord, and even that he had _become_ the newest dark lord.

There were many parallels between the lives of Harry and Tom Riddle.

But, rumours or no, Harry remained gone. The surviving members of the Order had gotten together to find him, but they failed. They could only conclude that he was no longer in wizarding Britain.

With a heavy sigh, Hermione shook her head sadly and climbed the steps leading into the house. As she entered, she smelled the rather pleasing smell of pine: a huge improvement from the original smells of rot and decay. Walking down the narrow hall, she heard a shout from one of the rooms.

"Hello? Hermione, is that you?" A masculine voice called. She smiled slightly at the voice she recognised as her friend, Ron Weasley.

"Yes, it's me. Sorry I'm late." As she approached the door to the living room, his head popped out of it and he smiled.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I was late myself!" He said with a grin. She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"How did I know you'd be late, as well?" He pouted slightly, before pulling her into a tight, Weasley hug.

"It's good to see you again, Hermione." She smiled and returned the hug.

"Likewise. It has been a while, hasn't it?" He nodded.

"Yeah; although I reckon this isn't exactly the best time for a reunion, given what we're here to do." He replied solemnly. She nodded and sighed.

"I agree. Well, we'd best get started." He responded in the affirmative.

The hours rolled by as they inspected the house, room by room, making an assessment of what was contained in each. They weren't going to throw away his things, just store them safely to make sure they didn't get damaged or stolen.

In order to finish looking through the house as quickly as possible, they both split up and took a few rooms each. Having finished her lot of the rooms downstairs, she climbed up to the third floor. Only one of these rooms had anything of importance in it. His room: Harry's bedroom. As her hand closed around the doorknob, she hesitated before opening it.

A rather modest looking room, the shades of scarlet and gold were a far cry from the colours of black and silver which used to adorn the walls. With the bed at its centre, the walls of the room were covered with hanging pictures of their time at Hogwarts, each one magical; the young faces of their old school friends staring down and waving merrily. As she stepped further into the space, she noticed a picture of his bedside table.

In an oval shaped frame sat a small photograph of Harry and Hermione sitting side by side on the shores of the lake. They moved slightly every so often, but the pair remained in the same position; Harry looking out over the water, while she rested her head on his shoulder. As she stared at the picture, her heart felt tight and tears poured down her face.

"Oh Harry. Where are you?" She whispered sadly.

After looking at the photo for a bit longer, she replaced it on the dresser and left the room, closing the door behind her. As she walked downstairs, Ron came out of the kitchen and looked up at her.

"Hey Hermione, how're you…" He paused, noticing the remains of tears. "…are you alright, Hermione?" He asked sincerely. She wiped her eyes and gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine Ron. It's just…memories." She answered. His face became understanding and he nodded.

"Yeah, I know how you feel. It just feels…wrong, him not being here." He let out a tired sigh. "I…I miss him." He whispered. She pulled him into a tight hug.

"I do too, Ron. But I'm sure, wherever Harry is, he hasn't forgotten about us." He smiled weakly and nodded.

"I hope so." He coughed gruffly and gave an almighty sniff, trying to stop his tears. "Hey Hermione, there's supposed to be a garage outside that Harry used. Would you mind checking that while I'm finishing off in here?" He asked. She nodded.

"Of course. I'll see you in a little while." He nodded in reply and dove back into one of the rooms he hadn't finished.

Walking to the back door, Hermione realised that she hadn't actually been into the back garden of Number 12. Come to think of it, she didn't even remember it having one. Shaking her head, she opened the door and stepped into the garden.

Before Harry had renovated it, the garden had, most likely been overgrown and impassable to anyone, having been left unattended so long. However, it seemed as though he had tidied it up at some point. The flower beds were regimented and neatly furrowed and the grass was immaculate. With his absence, it had started to become wilder and overgrown, so she assumed he had tended it regularly.

Casting her eyes across the garden, she noticed the garage that Ron had mentioned. She had wondered why a pureblood family which hated muggles would own a garage. It did look newer than the house, so she wondered whether Harry himself had built it.

Shaking her head of those thoughts and remembering her task, she walked over to the structure and attempted to open the door. It rattled slightly, but did not budge. Rolling her eyes, she drew her wand and pointed it at the lock.

"Alohomora!" She whispered, despite it being unlikely that a muggle could hear her.

The lock clicked and she smiled. Opening the door, she took a step into the room and gasped at its contents.

The walls were lined with benches covered with electronics, tools, materials and various drawings which she assumed were schematics. The entire middle of the space was empty, although it looked like it was usually occupied by a vehicle of some sort.

Closing the door softly behind her, she walked over to a bench and picked up three sets of schematics. The first was of a vehicle, one which looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place at that moment. The second was of a series of calculations and equations which puzzled her. The third was a drawing of an odd 'Y' shaped device. The last drawing had a name written over the top of the sheet.

"Flux capacitor." She mumbled in thought.

Hermione had absolutely no idea what it meant. She didn't even understand the equations, despite her being rather adept in muggle physics and chemistry. What stunned her even more was the handwriting: it was Harry's.

Harry Potter, a person who hadn't shown even the slightest inclination of having a larger than just above average intelligence, had drawn numerous sets of diagrams and blueprints, and had presumably built something from them. She shook her head in wonder. Suddenly, a realisation hit her.

What if the machine in this drawing had something to do with his disappearance? She felt a cold chill down her spine.

Leaving the space, she ran back into the house, charging into various rooms until she found the third member of the trio.

"Ron!" His head shot up in surprise.

"Hermione, what's up?" He asked confusedly. She reached over and grabbed his arm, pulling him with her.

"Come with me! You need to see something!" She panted, tired from the run.

Ron and Hermione were soon back in what she had dubbed 'Harry's Laboratory'. After explaining what she had found and her suspicions, they began inspecting the various documents for clues as to Harry's disappearance. After a few minutes of search, Ron discovered a bound journal containing Harry's notes. He flicked through it for a moment, his face becoming even more confused.

"Temporal displacement, Flux capacitor, nuclear fusion…what does this all mean, Hermione?" He asked, hoping she knew what some of the terms meant. She took the book off him and began flicking through it also.

"I…I'm not sure Ron. I recognise some of the terms from muggle physics, although most of it is still only theoretical. From this, however, it looks like Harry has built something…" she paused "…Temporal displacement…temporal…" she suddenly gasped.

"What, what is it Hermione?" Ron asked, slightly anxious of the answer.

"I…I think…" she swallowed slightly "…I think Harry invented a…" she began.

But before she could finish, a series of explosions like a sonic boom echoed in the air and a blinding flash of white light illuminated the windows of the garage. Not long after that, came the sounds of tires squealing and a thud as it hit what sounded like a bush.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, wide eyed, before running for the door. As they stepped outside, they soon identified the source of the noises and lightshow.

"What on earth…" Hermione muttered in surprise.

Imbedded in one of the hedges was the unmistakeable outline of a car. There was a sudden whoosh as a set of vents released a cloud of steam, shrouding the car. As she looked at the garden, she noticed that the grass where the car had presumably driven over was scorched and in some places, on fire. But that wasn't the most unusual thing she could see. The trail the car had left started halfway across the lawn, leading her to believe that it had somehow appeared out of nowhere.

Taking a few steps toward the car, she squinted to look through the steam rising from the body of the car. As it cleared, she got a better look. Immediately, she noticed the manufacturer's name on the rear bumper.

"Wow, it's a DeLorean!" Hermione whispered excitedly. "I've never seen one up close before!" Ron looked confused.

"Hermione, what's a Delaweon?" He asked. She shook her head and looked at him.

"No Ron, it's a DeLorean: De-Lore-ian." She spelt phonically. "And to answer your question, it's a type of muggle car; a particularly beautiful muggle car." She commented with an appreciative smile.

As she surveyed the car, it was obvious that it had been heavily modified. The rear of the car sported two rather wicked looking steel vents, starting halfway across the boot, and protruding over the edge. The empty space between the metal attachments and the rear windscreen held a collection of wires, tubes, pipes, plus six copper coils where the windows should be, three on each side. Overall, the car had a very dangerous feel to it.

While she stared at the vehicle, a thought hit her like a bolt of lightning. Running back into the garage, she re-emerged with one of Harry's drawings; more specifically, one of diagrams showing the car. She held up the drawing to the crashed vehicle and gasped.

"Ron, it's the same! This is the same car Harry was planning in there!" Ron's eyes widened and he rushed over to the car. As he attempted to open the door, he recoiled in pain.

"Argh!" He hissed.

"What, what's wrong?" She questioned, taking his hand and checking it. "Is it hot?" She asked, nodding to the car.

"No, it's bloody cold!" He grumbled. "Damn cold!" Once she released his hand, he gave it a few shakes before rubbing it with his other hand, attempting to warm it up.

Pulling her jumper over her hand, she gingerly lifted the handle and opened the driver's gull-wing door. Again, the interior was much like the outside: heavily modified. There were wires lining the dash board along with a digital display built into the centre console. Where the back seat should have been, was even more electronics, along with a device she recognised from one of Harry's drawings.

"The Flux capacitor…" She mumbled, brushing her hand across a device which seemed to be the centre piece of the car.

While she had been looking inside the driver side door, Ron had opened the other side, taking the same precautions as Hermione to prevent burns. When he looked inside, his eyes went wide in shock and he gave a long whistle demonstrating his awe.

"Bloody hell," he whispered, "Harry built this." Hermione nodded, equally in awe.

"It certainly appears that way." She frowned. "But if this is Harry's machine, then where is he? Why did he not come back with it?" Ron went pale.

"Do…do you think something…happened?" He said, swallowing anxiously. She shook her head sadly.

"I don't know. It's possible." She sighed.

Just as Hermione started taking another look around the compartment, she noticed something on the floor. Picking it up, she realised it was an envelope. She gasped when she saw the recipient.

"_To Hermione._"

Sharing a look with Ron, they took seats in the car and looked at the letter. Hermione stared at the letter anxiously, so he encouraged her.

"Well, go on Hermione; open it. It's addressed to you." She nodded.

Tentatively, she tore open the seal and removed the contents. Inside the envelope was a piece of paper and a tape recorder. Passing the piece of paper to Ron, she stared at the tape recorder for a moment, deciding whether to play it. After a brief pause, she clicked play and waited.

"_Hermione!_" They both gasped when they heard Harry's voice. "_Hermione, if you're getting this, then it means that the DeLorean's automatic-retrieval feature is a resounding success._"

"Automatic-retrieval?" She repeated, sharing a look with Ron. He shrugged slightly, indicating his confusion also. The recording continued.

"_I realise that what I just said probably doesn't make much sense to you right now, so I'll try to explain. I ask that you take what I am telling you on faith, since I cannot prove it to you at present._" She smiled slightly.

"I trust you Harry." She mumbled.

"_The vehicle you are now sat in, which I shall refer to from now on as the DeLorean, is the world's first time machine._" Ron gasped. "_I understand that it sounds ludicrous, but it is the truth. For the past few months, I have planned and then constructed the machine, and after testing it, have been travelling through time._" She shook her head slightly.

"Harry, don't you know how dangerous that is?" She muttered disapprovingly. As if sensing her thoughts, the recording continued.

"_Now, if I now you as well as I think I do, you've probably made some comment about how dangerous time travel is._" She blushed and smiled while Ron chuckled. "_However, I thought I had taken all the precautions necessary to make time travel safe. But regardless, something has gone wrong._" Hermione paled slightly.

"Oh no…automatic retrieval…" She whispered. As she verbalised it, Ron understood and became a matching shade of white.

"_Should I fail to return to the DeLorean within the allotted time, I've programmed the time machine to jump to these four dimensional co-ordinates…without me. As you are well aware, having used a time turner, time travel is an inherently risky activity, and despite my elaborate precautions, there was always the possibility that I could land in trouble sometime. That time is now._"

"Oh Harry. We have to help him!" She shouted. Ron nodded determinedly.

"_Hermione, you have come to my rescue in the past, and I am hoping that you will do so again. However, I cannot impress upon you the danger you may bring upon yourself by helping me. Whatever has prevented me from returning may also stop you._"

"Come on Harry, just give me a date." She mumbled.

"_As this is a pre-recorded recording, I cannot tell you exactly where I am or why I am in danger, so this will be down to you. I suggest you inform Ron of this and ask him to accompany you. This mission will be dangerous. I must ask you not to inform anyone else of my predicament, or the DeLorean's existence. If it fell into the wrong hands, the results could be catastrophic._"

"I can imagine. Just think, someone could go back and stop us killing Voldemort!" Ron commented, making Hermione shiver.

"_As I say, coming to help me is entirely yours and Ron's choice, but without the two of you I have no hope of being able to return to the present. If you still want to help me, then read the note that is contained with this recording. It will tell you how to operate the time machine._"

"Harry, I need a date!" She snapped.

"_As I said before, I do not know when I am trapped, so to find me, I suggest you look at the date specified under the heading 'Last Time Departed' on the digital display. I honestly do not know what you will face, so be prepared. I have asked for yours and Ron's help because you are the only two I trust implicitly. Good luck Hermione, and Ron if she has asked for help. But above all else, be careful. This recording is dated July 14th 1999._" And with that, the recording ceased.

"Wait...July 14th, that was three months ago." Ron commented. "Why has it taken so long for his time machine to return?" She shook her head, anxiously.

"I don't know." A determined look came over her face. "All I know is that we need to help Harry, Ron. We owe him that, after all he has done for us." Ron nodded; an equally determined look on his face.

"Damn right we do!" He agreed. "I couldn't live with myself if we just left him…wherever he is." She nodded.

"Right then, let's have a look at these instructions." She mumbled, drinking in the information from the little piece of paper.

While she was going to learn how to pilot the time machine, (since Ron couldn't drive anything that wasn't a broom) Ron would gather a selection of items they might need when travelling through time.

Just under an hour later, Ron returned with the equipment which he had placed in a muggle rucksack. Hermione then placed the sack into her small, enchanted beaded bag (a remnant of the horcrux hunt) in order to keep it safe.

Ten minutes later, Ron and Hermione sat side by side in the DeLorean, waiting at one end of the road Grimmauld Place was on. Having looked at the instructions and having a good idea what Hermione was going to do, Ron swallowed anxiously.

"Er, Hermione, are you sure this road is long enough?" He asked tentatively. She thought to herself for a moment, checking her calculations, before answering.

"Yes Ron, this road should be long enough. It's alright though, with that park at the end, if we overrun, then it shouldn't be a problem." He nodded and let out a relieved sigh.

"Right, ok. So, are we ready?" He asked. She nodded.

Reaching down to a handle near the gear stick, where the hand brake usually was, she turned it anti-clockwise. It let out what sounded like an electronic sigh, and soon the car interior lit up as the various pieces of electronics turned on.

"Time circuits…" she paused for a moment "…on!" She noted. Looking back to what she had identified as something from Harry's drawings, she noted its functionality.

"Flux capacitor…" again she paused, but not for the same reason "…fluxing!" Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron tried to stifle a laugh.

"So, where was Harry last?" Ron asked.

"According to the display… it was the 4th April 1994." She replied. Ron frowned slightly.

"Why would he go back to our third year?" He asked, not expecting an answer. Hermione shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out when we find him." She said.

Entering the date into the digital display, she watched as it changed to match the date she had inputted. After running one last lot of checks, she began revving the engine. Hermione took a deep breath and looked down at the tape recorder.

"We're coming Harry." She whispered.

With that, she released the brake pedal, the tires squealing in protest. The wheels span for a moment, before they started moving. Very quickly, their speed began climbing. Keeping a careful eye on the road ahead and the speedometer, she began to push the car to 88mph.

"35…40…45…50…55…60…65…70…75…80…" Hermione gripped the steering wheel tight as they got closer, while Ron tightened in his seat. The park ahead was getting closer, rapidly "…83…84…85…86…87…88!" She shouted.

As soon as the vehicle reached the golden speed, the car seemed to lurch forward, as if it was being pushed even faster. The windows on both sides were filled with bright, blue sparks that seemed to form around the car like water.

Just as the car was nearing the end of the road, in a sonic boom like a crack of thunder, the DeLorean vanished in a flash of white light and fire. All evidence of the car having existed was a set of flaming tire tracks, which continued to smoulder long after the car had gone.

* * *

There we are! Chapter One of my time traveling tale! What has happened to Harry? Why did he disappear for so long? All these questions, and more, will be answered...in the coming chapters! So, did you love it? Did you hate it? I would like some feedback! Please though, no mindless flaming! I like good reviews, but no flames!

I hope you enjoyed this presentation by, yours truly!

**This is the Quill, signing off!**


	2. Chapter 2

******Harry Potter goes...Back to the Future!**

Hello my readers!

I have gotten lots of positive feedback from this story which has made me smile! I'm glad you are all enjoying this story and I do hope you continue to read till the end.

I have a good idea where I'm going with this story! I'm basing it off of the BTTF films and the game, so if you see something which looks like its from either of those, it probably is. I'm not just blatantly copying, I should say. I am using similar plot lines/devices to make this story, since it is supposed to be a composition of both HP and BTTF.

Anyway, before I let you read, let me get the usual disclaimers out of the way:

**I do NOT own Harry Potter or Back to the Future. They are remarkable creations a million miles away from anything I could write. I am merely borrowing them and playing with the respective author/filmmaker's universe.**

Without further ado, I give you...Chapter Two!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Doing Hard Time**

On one of the roads making up the square known as Grimmauld Place, the quite, calm night was disturbed by a remarkable phenomenon. Should anyone have witnessed it, they would have heard three deafening cracks, akin to a sonic boom echoing in the street, seemingly from nowhere. Then, with an explosion of white light and fire, a speeding blur emerged from wherever it had come from.

However, there was no one to witness the spectacle, except for a particularly drunk man sleeping on a park bench. Having been woken from his inebriated sleep by the noises, hearing the sound of tires squealing, he grumbled slightly before settling back down.

"Bloody drunk drivers…" he murmured, before falling asleep.

From the point of view of Hermione and Ron in the DeLorean, there was a deafening roar as the car exited the temporal schism, and the car jolted violently. It was then they noticed that the scenery had changed. Initially amazed that the machine had worked, Hermione, who was driving the DeLorean, soon panicked when she realised that the park that was at the end of the road wasn't there anymore…instead, there was a house.

Slamming on the brakes, the wheels locked, throwing the car into a sideways skid that could have rolled the vehicle. However, it didn't, and soon the car had come to a halt. Apparently, the park hadn't been built yet in this time period.

A wide eyed Hermione let out a long whooshing sigh, before turning to Ron. He had closed his eyes tightly, evidently awaiting the imminent collision with the house. With a chuckle, she shook him slightly and he looked around.

"Bloody hell…" he whispered, his favourite phrase saying what they were both thinking.

"I know what you mean." She replied.

Getting out of the DeLorean, they looked around at their environment. The first noticeable difference was that it was night time. Other than that, the surrounding area looked much the same as it had, other than the houses looking less dilapidated than they were in the future.

"I don't believe it," Ron stated, breaking the silence, "the Harry we've known for years built a frickin' time machine?!" He said incredulously.

"Language Ron," she began, making him roll his eyes, "but I agree. If he always had this talent, then why didn't he show it before?" Ron shook his head.

"Merlin knows." He chuckled, before getting them back on track. "So, how do we find Harry, when he could be anywhere in the UK?" Hermione frowned in thought.

"Well, my first thoughts are that he will be near Hogwarts. Nothing particularly noteworthy happens in our lives this year, bar Sirius breaking out of Azkaban, Remus teaching DADA, and the whole time turner episode. He must be here for one of those events." Ron nodded.

"I agree. So should we head for Hogwarts?" He asked. She nodded.

"Yes, we should." She turned to look at the time machine. "But what should we do about the DeLorean?" She asked.

"Well, we could shrink it and take it with us?" He offered. She shook her head.

"The magic may mess up with the electronics. I don't want to screw up our only way out of this time and back to the present." He frowned.

"So what do you suggest?" He asked.

"We need to hide it. Somewhere where no one will stumble across it, but where we know it is." She replied. With that said they got back into the DeLorean and set off.

"Where can we hide it?" He pondered.

"I think I have an idea…" Hermione answered, smiling.

Explaining her plan to Ron, she suggested that they hide the DeLorean in a place where almost no magicals would dare enter: the Shrieking Shack. Of course, they wouldn't be able to put it into the small building, but they could hide it nearby and use the shack as a base from which to find Harry. It would mean that they would have to drive the time machine all the way to Scotland, but Hermione was confident in her ability.

After telling Ron her plan, he agreed and the pair set off on the long drive to Hogsmeade from London. After some tentative spell casting (Hermione practiced on some unimportant electronics first) the DeLorean was hidden from any passers-by with a notice-me-not spell. It wasn't perfect, but it would prevent them from being noticed by muggles or being pulled over by the police.

However, the threat posed by an unnoticeable car on a busy motorway, meant that they would be forced to stick to the smaller roads, making their journey much longer. However, ten hours of driving later, Hermione and Ron arrived safely in the outskirts of the village of Hogsmeade.

Due to their lengthy journey, it was early morning in the village, which was almost silent except for the quiet chirping of the nearby birds. It was a frosty April morning and the grass was covered with a white dusting of ice. There was some smoke coming from the chimneys of the houses, but there wasn't a person in sight.

Mindful of their quiet surroundings and not wanting to arouse suspicion, Hermione kept the speed of the DeLorean low while they crept through the town. In order to make their journey quicker, Ron climbed out of the DeLorean and walked alongside the car, levitating debris out of the vehicle's path and obliterating any tracks they might have made on their way. The only way to reach the shack was directly through the town itself, and as they quietly passed by the familiar shops and cafes in the village, Ron felt certain they would be spotted.

Thankfully, however, they didn't see a single person on their journey, and just as the sun began to rise over the mountains, they had arrived outside the abandoned shack. Satisfied that they had not left any tracks, Ron cleared a path to the rear of the house and gestured to Hermione to drive it forward.

After a few minutes of manoeuvring, trying not to get stuck on the uneven ground, the time machine was stored behind the shack. As Hermione got out of the car, Ron frowned slightly and looked around.

"Hermione, we can't just leave it there; someone could still see it." She nodded in agreement and drew her wand.

"Yes, I know. That's why I'm going to cast all the obscuring charms I know to hide it from anyone nearby." He stared at her incredulously.

"But I thought we agreed that we couldn't cast too many spells on the time machine in case it ruined the electronics?" Hermione rolled her eyes and smirked.

Pointing her wand at a nearby log, she transfigured it into a large tarpaulin, before proceeding to cast nearly thirty charms on the sheet. After a moment, she nodded in satisfaction and levitated the sheet over the car.

"I've keyed us both into the spells so we can still see where the time machine is hidden. The only way someone could find it now, is if they already had an idea where to look and combed the area intensely." Ron nodded and smiled.

"You really are brilliant, you know that Hermione?" She smiled smugly and nodded.

"And don't you forget it!" She replied playfully.

Pulling some of the boards from the back door of the shack, they proceeded to make their way inside.

It looked much the same as it had in their third year; bare walls lined with long claw-like scratches; draughty rooms with creaky floorboards; and lots of pieces of badly damaged furniture.

After a cursory examination of the building, Hermione and Ron began to make themselves at home; repairing the furniture, casting protective wards on the structure, and setting up a fire to cook food and to make potions.

Two hours later, Ron and Hermione sat down around a repaired table and began to discuss how to locate Harry.

"Well, now that we're here, how are we going to find Harry?" Ron asked. Hermione frowned in thought and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "I'm trying to think of a spell we could use to track him down, but I'm having no luck." Ron frowned for a moment, before his face lit up with an idea.

"What about that spell you created for Harry in fourth year?" She looked confused. "You know the one he used in the maze. What was it…" he pondered aloud, drumming his fingers on the table "…point-something?" Her face flashed with realisation.

"Oh yes, the Point-me spell!" She announced in remembrance, before looking extremely thoughtful. "I'm not sure whether it will work Ron; I only ever tested it on objects which were static." Ron shrugged.

"Well, give it a try anyway." He said. "If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else, but if it does, we might be able to cut this trip short." She nodded.

"Alright," she drew her wand and held it in the palm of her hand, "point-me." she incanted.

Almost instantly, her wand span on her hand, like the needle of a compass, and pointed north of their current position. She smiled and looked up at Ron.

"Good thinking Ron!" He puffed up slightly in pride.

"Thanks." He glanced at one of the windows facing northwards. "I wonder if we can see possible places he could be from here." He walked over to a window and looked out. His eyes widened and he paled.

"Oh bugger." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" She asked, before getting up and walking over to the window. She followed his line of sight and swallowed slightly.

"Ron, I absolutely agree." She said with a sigh.

Across the landscape that could be seen from the window, there was only one location which was directly placed in front of the pointing wand: Hogwarts. Harry was somewhere inside the castle itself.

Trooping back to the table, Ron flopped down into his seat and cradled his head.

"So, we have to break into Hogwarts," he muttered, "great, perfect, abso-bloody-lutely fantastic…" she shook her head in exasperation.

"Honestly Ron, we knew this wasn't going to be easy." She began sternly. "Don't forget that Harry is the person we're looking for. There isn't much which could keep him trapped, so it must be bad if he is still in the castle." Ron sighed and nodded.

"Yeah," he agreed, "but we still don't know how to get inside." She rolled her eyes and laughed slightly.

"Ron, where are we?" He frowned, not understanding the question.

"The Shrieking Shack," He answered. Hermione shook her head and waited for a moment for the penny to drop, "wait a minute…the Shrieking shack…oh, of course; the secret passageway!" She sighed in exasperation and nodded.

"That's right." She said. "We have our way to get in. Now listen up Ron, I have a plan: we use the passageway through the Whomping Willow to get onto the grounds; we keep ourselves hidden and use the spell to locate his whereabouts in the castle; once we find him, we leave and find a way to sneak into the castle itself to retrieve him." She finished. Ron nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, that sounds as good a plan as any." He glanced at his watch. "Should we make a move now?" She nodded.

"It's still relatively early. That, and the fact it's a Sunday means there will be less students out and about." She thought for a moment. "Also, neither Harry, you or I are awake yet." He looked confused.

"What are you on about?" He asked incredulously. She slapped her hand to her head and sighed.

"Ron, I meant our past selves, you birk." His face made an 'o' shape. "We weren't up yet today." He looked very impressed.

"I can't believe you can remember that far back." He muttered in amazement. She smiled and tapped the side of her head.

"Hey, brightest witch of her age, remember?" She said playfully.

"Right," He said with a laugh.

After gathering everything they needed for their mission, they climbed down into the cramped tunnel and made their way to the large, murderously violent tree. After a quick game of 'rock, paper, scissors' Ron swallowed in fear as he was nominated as the person to freeze the tree.

With his wand drawn and his eyes focused on the plant's branches, Ron poked his head out from the tunnel and tapped the knot on the tree's bark. Before the tree knew what had happened, it became rigidly still, allowing them to clamber out.

Casting a Disillusionment charm on themselves, they carefully crept out from beneath the tree and made their way across the grounds. Neither Ron nor Hermione had been on the grounds of Hogwarts since the Battle of Hogwarts. They were overcome with feelings of nostalgia as they took in their familiar surroundings.

Hiding behind a boulder, they dropped the charms and Hermione held her wand in her palm once again. With a quiet 'point-me' the wand span in her hand, facing northwards. It was still pointing at the castle.

"So he is definitely in the castle." He muttered quietly. "This is going to make finding him extremely difficult." Hermione nodded.

"We'll just have to try and guess where he is inside in relation to the outside." Ron nodded in agreement.

"Alright, well let's keep moving." He replied.

Hermione and Ron set off once again, except this time they kept themselves visible. Making sure to hug the walls, trees and rocks, they moved slowly, watching as the wand changed direction every so often. They zigzagged across the grounds, keeping covered while following the updated direction from the spell.

After about half an hour of search, they soon began approaching the exterior walls of the Hogwarts dungeons. Unlike the rest of the castle, there was thick green moss covering the surface of the large stone bricks, matching the look of the inside.

As Ron and Hermione walked, hugging the stone, the walls began to feature a collection of windows with iron bars across them. Just as they walked past a specific window, the wand pointed straight at it without any deviation. Ron and Hermione shared an anxious look.

Harry was trapped in the Hogwarts Dungeons.

"Why is Harry in the dungeons?" Ron asked Hermione, not really expecting an answer. She frowned slightly in thought.

"I'm not sure." She replied. "Perhaps no one knows he's here. He might have just gotten stuck." She pondered.

"But that can't be right." He argued. "If no one knew he was there, then Harry should still have his wand. We both know that he could escape from in there with both eyes closed if he wanted to. Since he's still there, it must mean that he doesn't have a wand." Hermione frowned in thought.

"You're right. But why wouldn't he have his wand? The only explanation I can think of is that someone has taken it. That would mean he is being kept here." Ron ran his hand through his hair, eerily reminiscent of Harry's favourite gesture.

"But who would lock him in there?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. If we're right, then it means that he's being held prisoner!" Moving to the wall, she gestured to Ron. "Help lift me up so I can see inside." He nodded in reply.

Bracing himself against the wall, Ron picked up Hermione and lifted her up so her face was level with the bars. Looking down into the cell, she couldn't see anyone. Trying to see if Harry was inside, she spoke through the bars, keeping her voice quiet.

"Psst, Harry?" She whispered loudly. No response. "Harry?" After a moment of silence, she heard a voice she never thought she would hear again.

"Is that a voice? It certainly sounds like a voice…wait a minute…" after hearing a few scrapes and thuds from inside the room, a familiar head popped up and stared at her in disbelief "…HERMIONE!" He yelled in happiness. The smile on his face was vast and tears poured down his face.

"Oh Harry, it's so good to see you again!" She sobbed in happiness. He grinned and held her hand through the bars.

"Likewise Hermione," he frowned for a moment, "but what are you doing here? _How_ did you get here, for that matter?" She looked confused.

"What do you mean? You send for me Harry." His frown deepened.

"I did?" Suddenly, his mind clicked. "Oh, I did! The automatic-retrieval system! I had completely forgotten about that!" He grinned. "It's so good to see you, Hermione!" She smiled back. Before they could talk more, a voice came from beneath the window sill.

"Hermione, I know you're light an all, but I'm not strong enough to keep holding you up indefinitely!" An uncomfortable Ron grumbled. Harry's eyes widened and his smile grew.

"Is that Ron?" She nodded. He leaned over the edge and looked down. "RON! It's good to see you, my friend!" Said wizard looked up and gave him a smile.

"It's good to see you too mate!" He yelled back. Before a conversation could start, Hermione got them back on track.

"Harry, how are we going to get you out of here?" He frowned.

"I have no idea." He replied. "I've had a look at these bars and they are magically reinforced by the castle wards. We'd need an army to break through. That means you are going to have to get _into_ the castle and open my cell door." She frowned.

"But can't I just pass you my wand?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No, the magic won't let anything that could be used to help me escape through the bars. If you try to pass me your wand, it could get damaged." She nodded in understanding.

"Alright, so we'll have to go through the castle." She looked thoughtful. "Harry, do you still have your copy of the map?" He shook his head and sighed.

"No, Dumbledore took it from me." Her eyes widened in shock.

"Dumbledore?!" He nodded.

"Yes, he's the bastard keeping me here, if you can believe it." He scowled slightly. "I've found out a lot of things that I need to tell you and Ron, Hermione. The past isn't what we thought it was!" He said anxiously. She frowned.

"What do you mean?" He shook his head.

"Not now, it'll take too long to explain. The headmaster usually visits about now during the day, but he hasn't come yet. It could be any minute." She nodded.

"Alright Harry. Don't worry: Ron and I will think of a plan to get you out of there!" He smiled at his friend.

"I know you will. Just, be careful, ok?" She nodded. At that moment, a metallic clang echoed from inside the cell. "He's coming! Hermione, stay below the ledge and listen, ok? But whatever you do, stay silent." She nodded and disappeared.

Climbing down from his bed, he stood up awaiting his daily visit from the headmaster. With a loud bang, the final door opened and the man strode in, looking scathingly at his prisoner.

"Good morning, Mr Potter." He said, portraying an illusion of kindness. "How are you feeling today?" Harry chuckled.

"Alright, I suppose. I would be happier if my accommodations were better, but hey, who's complaining?" The old wizard laughed.

"Indeed." He stared at Harry for a moment. "Listen, my boy; I know you have qualms about helping me, but if you do, then I promise that I will let you go. You have my word." He finished with a grandfatherly smile. Harry shook his head and laughed.

"If I believed that, then I would be a fool. If I help you, then releasing me won't matter, as you will try to change the future. If you succeed, I may not even be here; the future I come from may not even exist. So the answer is no." He replied.

Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows and slammed his hands on the metal bars with an annoyed growl. Seeing that it had no reaction, he calmed himself down and took a step back into the shadows.

"The longer you choose not to co-operate, the longer you will remain a prisoner here." He snarled. "Now, answer my questions: what happens in the future…" no answer "…why did you come here…" silence "…where is your time travelling device?" He spat, aggravated.

"Oh, well, that I can answer." He replied with a smile. Hermione's eyes widened. What was he doing? Dumbledore looked stunned for a moment, before smiling kindly.

"Ah, well then; if you would be so kind?" He asked, gesturing for an answer.

"It's not here anymore." He said simply. Hermione stifled a laugh as Harry taunted the headmaster. With a roar, Albus charged the door again, slamming his hands down on the iron bars which made the gate.

"What do you mean it's not here?!" He growled. "ANSWER ME, POTTER!" Harry laughed again and shook his head.

"I built a retrieval system into my time machine. Should I fail to return within a specified time, it goes back to the future – where I come from." He replied. "It's a good thing I did, really, otherwise it could have been used for more nefarious purposes, couldn't it Dumbledore?" Harry finished with a grin.

Dumbledore scowled and began pacing up and down the corridor, while Harry watched on, highly amused. The elderly wizard began mumbling to himself in thought, trying to make sense of the situation.

"That doesn't make sense. He couldn't possibly have intended it. Why would he trap himself?" He paused for a moment, before smiling. "There must be a contingency." He concluded.

"Oh, I'm afraid not Dumbledore." Harry answered helpfully. "I've left explicit instructions to my friends in the future to destroy the machine once it arrives." He bluffed. Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Plus, I am the only one who is able to make sense of my plans, so no one will be able to build another from my work." He grinned. "So it looks like I'm stuck here." Albus' eyes flashed with realisation, and he smiled.

"Ah, but you don't need your plans." He began. "You are going to build a new machine for me, Potter." Harry sneered.

"Or what, you senile, old squib?" He said with a grin. However, Dumbledore simply laughed and walked toward the exit.

"Or you'll become…a _permanent_ resident here in our dungeons, Mr Potter." He laughed. "I hope you have a pleasant day." With that, he slammed the door shut, leaving him in the relative darkness of his cell.

After making sure the headmaster had indeed gone, he clambered back onto the bed and looked out over the ledge to a waiting Hermione.

"So, you see my predicament." She nodded.

"Why does he want your time machine?" He frowned and rubbed his face.

"When I was first captured, I accidentally mentioned the fact that his counterpart in the future was dead. He tried to pressure me for details but I didn't say anything more about the future or how I got here. That really pissed him off." He grinned. "He's deduced I got here in some sort of machine but he doesn't know what." He paused. "Is it hidden?" She nodded.

"Yes, it's…" Before she could finish, he put his hand over her mouth.

"Don't!" He whispered. Removing it, he apologised. "I'm sorry, but I don't know whether there are any listening spells in here. I don't want him finding out where it is." She nodded in understanding.

"But surely if that's the case, he knows we are here?" Harry shrugged.

"He may do, but it doesn't make much difference. Either way, you need to be extremely careful, ok Hermione?" She nodded with a smile.

"Alright Harry." He smiled. After hearing a groan from Ron, she continued. "Right, well since Ron may collapse at any moment, we'd best be going." Harry nodded.

"Ok then, I'll see you soon." He paused. "Oh yes, whatever you do, stay away from your past selves!" He heard a muffled reply from Ron.

"Why?" Harry thought for a moment, before shrugging.

"I don't know, since I haven't done it. It shouldn't damage the space time continuum, but you may accidentally give away information about your future! So golden rule, just be really, really careful. If you need to speak to people, limit what you say." She nodded.

"Alright Harry. We'll see you soon." With that, she disappeared from view, leaving Harry alone once more in his cell.

* * *

So there we are, Chapter Two!

So, what did you think? Did you like it? Did you enjoy it? Did you see a mistake or something which could be improved? Well, don't hesitate to send me a message! I accept any and all comments, as long as they are not mindless flames. I just delete those...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this and continue to read!

**This is the Quill, signing off!**


End file.
